Is a bigger runner always worth it?
What doubling the vCPU did to each build, on each provider's own runner line at 2, 4 and 8 vCPU: each step usually saves less time and costs more per build.
Median across providers: from 4 to 8 vCPU, each build ran 27–32% faster for 36–44% more per build; from 2 to 4 vCPU, 40–47% faster, cost per build −4% to +19%.
Median across providers: from 4 to 8 vCPU, each build ran 27–32% faster for 36–44% more per build; from 2 to 4 vCPU, 40–47% faster, cost per build +6% to +20%.
Median across providers: from 4 to 8 vCPU, each build ran 27–34% faster for 33–45% more per build; from 2 to 4 vCPU, 38–48% faster, cost per build −12% to +24%.
Median across providers: from 4 to 8 vCPU, each build ran 27–34% faster for 33–45% more per build; from 2 to 4 vCPU, 38–48% faster, cost per build −12% to +21%.
- Each line is one provider's runner at 2, 4 and 8 vCPU, its vCPU count in each dot (hollow: under 3 runs so far); RunsOn's is the bold one (m8a / m9g, not its fastest or cheapest).
- Right costs more per build, lower is faster: the shaded corner, bottom left, is where you want to be.
- Dashed lines join equal time × cost. A step that drops more steeply than them bought time cheaply; one that runs flatter mostly bought cost.
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 32% faster, +36% cost (9 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 40% faster, +19% cost (9 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 32% faster, +36% cost (9 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 40% faster, +20% cost (9 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 31% faster, +38% cost (6 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 38% faster, +24% cost (7 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 31% faster, +38% cost (6 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 38% faster, +21% cost (7 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 27% faster, +44% cost (8 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 47% faster, −4% cost (6 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 27% faster, +44% cost (8 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 47% faster, +6% cost (6 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 34% faster, +33% cost (6 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 48% faster, −12% cost (5 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 34% faster, +33% cost (6 providers)
2 → 4 vCPU: 48% faster, −12% cost (5 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 30% faster, +40% cost (7 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 30% faster, +40% cost (7 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 27% faster, +45% cost (6 providers)
Median across providers: 4 → 8 vCPU: 27% faster, +45% cost (6 providers)
- Builds Every provider's best runner of one size, by time, cost or both.
- Explorer Every size of every provider on one benchmark.
- CPU A bigger runner buys cores, not a faster core: single and multi-thread scores per size.